It was 9:00 PM.
Owen had already returned home and was busily working away at his academic paper. To submit it as early as possible, he had even put aside his regular school assignments; his entire mind was focused on this one goal.
Gurgle...
Under the bright desk lamp, Owen picked up a glass of warm milk and took a large gulp. Lately, it wasn't just Eevee who needed nutritional supplements; he needed them too.
However, regular milk would have to do for him. Drinking Miltank milk every day was a luxury Owen simply couldn't afford to squander...
"Oh?"
After setting down the glass, Owen instinctively checked his phone. Upon seeing a new text message, a look of delight spread across his face.
Mr. Lee:The matter you mentioned should be fine, as long as Eevee doesn't cause any trouble.
To make use of the time during indoor lectures, Owen had come up with a plan: leave Eevee alone in the club room and assign her specific training tasks.
However, worried that something might go wrong, he had consulted Mr. Lee before putting the plan into action.
With the teacher's permission, the biggest hurdle was cleared. Having "connections" certainly made life easier. Next, he had to figure out how to explain this to Eevee. He needed to make her understand that this opportunity was hard-won, and then strike a "deal" with her.
"Eevee."
After a moment of thought, Owen put down his phone and called out to Eevee, who was currently playing with two phones on the bed.
"Vee?"
Eevee froze for a moment, then rolled across the bed. Unfolding her Silk Scarf from around her neck, she hopped down and trotted to Owen's side.
Looking at Eevee, Owen let out a sigh. "Eevee, tell me the truth. Is it very boring having to stay inside the Poké Ball for so many hours every day?"
"Vee!!"
Eevee put on a tragic, pained expression. Having grown accustomed to being outside, staying cooped up in that cramped ball for hours on end was suffocating.
But Eevee knew this was the school rule. Every senior student's Pokémon had to do the same. If everyone let their Pokémon out during lectures, the classroom would be chaos.
Eevee was one thing... but what if a student's starter was a Grimer? No one could handle that.
Actually, this was partly Owen's fault. If he hadn't allowed Eevee to develop the habit of staying outside the ball, she wouldn't be so repulsed by it now.
"I know, I know..." Owen shook his head. "But as you know, there's no other way..."
Eevee looked distressed. A brief silence fell between the human and the Pokémon.
"However," Owen said suddenly, "it's not impossible to solve. We just need to change our perspective."
Eevee looked up, confused. What did he mean?
"I can secretly leave you in the Psychology Club room. While I'm in class indoors, you can stay there quietly and use the phone. When I have outdoor classes, I'll come and get you."
Eevee's eyes widened. That sounded incredible! That meant... she would have hours upon hours every day to spend with her precious screen?
But Eevee wasn't a total fool. She didn't believe such a great thing would just fall into her lap. She took a step back, looking at Owen warily... feeling that he had an ulterior motive.
"Hmm?" Owen rubbed his temples. Since when did Eevee become so suspicious?
Fine. He'd just be direct. Given Eevee's level of internet addiction, she wasn't going to pass this up.
"There's no problem with doing this, but you understand that simply binge-watching shows and playing games isn't exactly 'proper business.'"
"If Mr. Lee finds out, you'll definitely be kicked out."
Eevee nodded, acknowledging that logic. Even human students were banned from phones; a Pokémon doing it was unheard of.
"But, if you're doing something productive, that's different. For students, productivity means studying. For a trainer's Pokémon, productivity means training."
"Mr. Lee might stop you from playing on a phone, but would he stop you from training?"
Eevee fell into deep thought. She let out a tentative chirp.
Owen smiled. "So, if your main mission in the club room is self-training, and the phone is just a 'side activity,' it should be fine.
For example, if you spend five hours there, you train for four hours and use the remaining hour to secretly catch up on your shows. As long as you're discreet, no one will find out."
"Vee?!"
Eevee suddenly spotted a "bug" in the logic. She turned away quickly, the corners of her mouth twitching upward in a smirk.
Owen wouldn't be there to supervise her in the club room. Once he was gone, who would know how long she actually spent training versus playing?
Wiping a bit of drool from her mouth, Eevee turned back around, looked at Owen with a serious, solemn expression, and nodded. She simply couldn't refuse the temptation.
"Vee!" she chirped firmly, agreeing to the terms.
"Excellent," Owen said with a satisfied grin. Then he added:
"By the way, Eevee, do you know what 'Youth Mode' is?"
"Vee?" Eevee looked puzzled.
"Youth Mode is a time-limiting program. To help you manage your time and ensure you don't become addicted, starting tomorrow, I'll set a one-hour limit on your phone.
Once the time is up, the phone locks automatically. You'll need a password to continue. So, don't even think about slacking off."
Eevee's expression turned to one of absolute horror.
What kind of cancerous, toxic mode is this?!
"But don't feel like the time is too short," Owen said with a gentle smile. "This time can be increased. If you perform well, it can be extended by one hour, two hours, or even five. No problem at all."
"I'm going to set a few training goals for you that can be done indoors. Every time you reach a milestone, I'll extend your time.
If you work hard enough, sooner or later, that one hour will become two, three, or four. In a few months, your play time might even exceed your training time."
Eevee realized it. No matter how he phrased it, Owen just wanted her to train. Inventing something like "Youth Mode" to terrorize her... he was a demon.
"Vee..."
Eevee wanted to rebel, but then she thought about it—having one hour was better than zero, and it was certainly better than being bored to death in a Poké Ball.
After another moment of intense contemplation... Eevee slumped to the ground in defeat. She really couldn't refuse.
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